Door-check



0. W, ,H'AMSH'AW.

' 110.011 CHECK. 1

Patehted Dec 18,1894. 7

' (No Model.)

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Erll PATENT Y Fries;

OHARLES W. HAMSI-IAW, OF GALLATIN, MISSOURI.

DOOR-CHECK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,116, dated December 18,1894.

Application filed Angust 16, 1894. Serial No. 520,499. (No model.)

ing and holding device for the automatic engagement with and retention of a house door in an openposition, and has for its object to provide a simple and effective door holder, which embodies novel and simple features of construction, that adapt it for reliable service to retain a door in open adjustment and permit the door to be released by applied draft force, when the closure of the door is required.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar figures of refereneeindicate corresponding parts in all the views shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a door in open adjustment, and the improvement applied todetachably retain the door adjacent tothebase'board of a room shown in part. tional side view of the improvement on the line 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. 315 an enlarged sectional side View of the improved holder device, the improvement being shown with its" interlocking parts in contact but not locked;

and Fig. 4: isa side viewin part of details that are features of the improvement.

In the drawings, 10 represents the base board that affords a finish for the side wall 11 of the room, between'it and the, floor 12, and

13 indicates the lower portion of a door hinged in the usual way (not shown) for its swinging support to close or open a'passage through the side wall.

Near the lower edge, and free side edge of the door 13, a bracket hook is secured, this being a portion of the improvement. As shown, I

hook 14 havinga depending rounded nose Fig. 2 is an enlarged sec-.

14, on its outer end, designed to engage with and lock to the holder proper, fastened on the baseboard oppositely from the bracket hook, when the door is fully opened. I

Theholder mentioned and which embodies the main features of the invention, comprises a case 15, having parallel sides, and a top and a bottom wall integral with thesides, retaining the latter spaced sufficiently to form a receiving chamber for the introduction of working parts, said chamber being completed by the provision of front and rear walls, as is shown in Fig. 3. The case 15 is further provided with a border flange 15", that circumferentially projects at the rear wall of the same; and this flange which extends at the sides and top of the case affords means for the attachment of the latter to the base board of the room, by screws that penetrate the latter after passing to their heads through perforations formed in the border flange, as is indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

For the convenient introduction and efiect-- ive operation of parts, the front and top walls of the case 15 are cut away atthe front upper corners of the side walls, which corners arepreferably rounded as shown..

A latch 16, is provided, whichhas its slde edges parallel and is of such proportionate breadth that the main portion of the latch will be adapted to loosely fit between the sides of the case 15, when introduced and pivoted to vibi'ater therein, the point of pivotal attachment being near the topand rear walls of the case, as represented in Fig. 3. A sufficient length is afforded the latch to per 'mit its free end to project through the aperture formed at the front upperjcorner of the case, which aperture is of such relative dimensions as will allow the latch torock'on its pivot and have a range of vibration that will insure its efficient operation in service.

On the outer end of the latch, which extends beyond the case at its front, an upward and rearward inclination is given to the top surface 16 of said end, which is terminated at the highest point 16, that is a proper distance from the front terminal, by the junction therewith of the forwardly and upwardly inclined shoulder 16, whereby a hook is producedfon the'latch 16, that by its peculiar conformation is adapted to interlock with the depending round nose 1i of the bracket hook on the door, the forward face of the latch hook being also rounded on the top and bottom edges, as is represented in Fig. 3, which facilitates the engagement of one hook with the other.

To provide convenient means for the correct relative location of the bracket hook and latch hook when the improvement is applied to a door and base board, these parts are grooved on their sides as is shown plainly in Fig. 4, said marks near the free ends of the hooks, serving as a guide to the workman for the attachment of the case and bracket hook, so that the first contact of the latch hook with the latter will be correct, and insure the latching engagement of the parts mentioned.

An elastic support is afforded to the front end of the latch 16, by the spiral spring 17, that is proportioned in length and tensional strength to enable it to effectively sustain the latch. To this end a circular base block 18 is furnished, mounted at its center on the upper end of the adjusting screw 19, the latter having a threaded engagement with a tapped hole formed in the lower wall of the case 15, at its transverse center and near the front wall, as shown in Fig. 3.

The base block is reduced in thickness at its periphery on its upper face, producing a circular rabbet for the reception of the lower end of the spring 17, that when seated will be held by the shoulder of the rabbet from lateral displacement.

A slightly yielding support for the spring 17 is preferably employed, consisting of the gum or leather tubular core 20, that has such an exterior diameter as will permit it to loosely fit in the coiled spring and prevent it from receiving improper lateral flexure. There is an annular groove formed in the lower surface of the latch 16 near its hooked end, wherein the upper end of the spring 17 is located, and is thus retained in proper contact with the latch.

The pressure of the spring 17is exerted to normally enforce a contact of the latch with the top wall of the case 15 at the front edge of said wall, so that if the case 15 and bracket hook 14: are respectively affixed at proper points on the base board and door, the act of opening the latter will cause an impinge of the bracket hook on the upper surface of the latch hook near the front edge of the latter, as is shown in Fig. 3, a further swinging movement of the door causing an enforced interlocking engagement of the hooks, as is represented in Fig. 2.

The steep slope of the shoulder 16 on the latch 16, allows the door to be released it the operator gives a quick pull on the same of suflicient force to depress the latch. The force of the spring 17 is graduated by the adjustment of the screw 19, so that the door may be held with certainty, and its release be effected by aslight exertion of manual force.

It will be seen that the device willoperatc if the spring 17 is made adjustable for height by other means than the screw 19, as for instance one or more liners may be introduced below the block 18; and good results can be obtained if the yielding tubular core 20 is dispensed with. Hence I do not desire to restrict my claims to the exact construction of the parts shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A door holder, comprising a hook, and a holder consisting of a casing, a latch pivoted in the casing and projecting through the casing, an adjustable base block in the casing, and a spring supported on the base block and having its upper end engaging the under side of the latch, substantially as described.

2. In a door holder, the combination with a casing, of a latch pivoted in the casing and projecting out through the same, a screw projecting through the bottom of the casing, a base block carried by the screw within the casing and a spring interposed between the base block and latch, substantially as de scribed.

3. In a door-holder, the combination, with a bracket hook having a base piece attached to the door, and a hook limb projected outwardly and downwardly from the base piece and having its nose rounded on its front and rear edges, of a holder device attached to a fixed support and comprising a case having parallel side walls, and an aperture at its front upper corner, a latch pivoted at its rear end in the case and projecting through said aperture, and having a hook shoulder on its upper face at its outer end, a spiral spring in the case, supporting the latch, a base block supporting the spring, and an adjusting screw for the base block and spring, substantially as described.

4-. In a door-holder, the combination, with a bracket hook having a depending hook limb rounded on its nose, and a base plate attachable to a door, of a holder device, comprising a case attachable to a fixed support, and apertured at its front upper corners, an elongated latch pivoted at its rear end in the case and extending through the aperture in the case, and having a forward and rearward inclined latch portion on it at its free end, a spiral springin the case, supporting the latch, a yielding tubular support within the spring, a circular base block supporting the spring, and an adjusting screw for the base block and spring, substantially as described.

CHARLES V. l-IAMSH AW.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. STROUP, J. E. ToMLINsoN. 

